This invention relates to acrylic nail polish compositions and, more specifically, to nail polish compositions containing acrylic polymeric film forming binders, acrylic polymeric pigment dispersant, or both acrylic binders and acrylic dispersants.
All currently manufactured nail polish products contain nitrates of cellulose, either as a pigment dispersant or as a film forming binder. These nitrates of cellulose provide very good film forming properties when properly plasticized, and are relatively inexpensive materials. However, nitrocellulose materials present a severe safety hazard in their manufacture, transportation, and storage. While newer nail polish products have begun replacing the nitrocellulose binders with other types of film-forming polymers (e.g., acrylic resins, polyester resins), nitrocellulose is still used as a pigment dispersant in the colored nail polish grades.
In the abstract, the concept of formulating a nail polish composition with acrylic dispersants and acrylic binders might seem simple. In practice, however, it has proven far more difficult than one might imagine. Acrylic monomers are toxic materials and care needs to be taken in formulating cosmetics or other products were ingestion might be a significant issue. In addition developing acrylic dispersants and binders that are compatible with those solvents to form stable dispersions is a challenge.
Furthermore, the acrylic binders and dispersants need to be compatible with one another (as well as the solvents) in the same composition. Compatibility means that the nail polish composition must be a single phase, homogeneous composition that is free of grit and lumps and must produce a smooth coating of uniform color and appearance that is clear and not cloudy. Finally, the commercial success of a nail polishes is determined by factors such as hardness, gloss, resistance to cracking, fading, chipping, peeling, drying time, and resistance to water, soaps, cleaning solutions and lotions. Thus, if any acrylic nail polish composition must at least be able to match a nitrocellulose based composition in these properties.